Source: PA
Hughton backing Carroll
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton has told striker Andy Carroll to concentrate on making headlines on the back pages of the newspapers rather than the front.
The 21-year-old endured a mixed day on Sunday when, after waking to read yet more lurid tabloid revelations over his private life, he turned in a match-winning display as the Magpies stunned Arsenal to claim a 1-0 Barclays Premier League victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Carroll, who was watched by England boss Fabio Capello against the Gunners amid speculation that his stunning run of form could earn him a first senior international call-up for the friendly against France later this month, has found himself on the news pages far too often in recent months, and his manager insists that must come to a halt.
Hughton said: "With Andy, it's about making sure that all the headlines he is making are on the back pages. He is a young man, he has made mistakes, but he has got to make sure he learns from those mistakes, and I am quite sure he will.
"He is in an environment here where he is getting a lot of support from the club, certainly the staff and the supporters, and I am quite sure his concentrations will be very much on football, 100%. Young professional footballers are easier targets. They have a different lifestyle, as people see it.
"They are young, privileged men and that's how people see it. They have got to make sure they don't get caught up in the pitfalls of it all."
